Flooding forces shutdown of Czech Spolana facility

LONDON (ICIS)--Czech Republic-based chemicals producer Spolana said on Tuesday that it has has shut down all production at its site in Neravotice and moved components and raw materials to safe areas.

The shutdown was caused by flooding in the country due to unseasonal heavy rain. Germany, Austria and Switzerland have also suffered from flooding this week, with several key shipping routes still closed.

A spokesperson for Anwil, Spolana’s parent company, said: “Yesterday [June 3], by 21:00 [local time] all the Spolana production facilities in Neratovice were preventively and safely shut-down. Early, during the day, production components and raw materials had been removed to and secured in safety areas.”

He added that the Spolana site suffered some flooding on Tuesday morning, but the production plants are secure.

“At 11.00 today, the water level reached 163.00 metres above sea level and flooded part of Spolana. The production plants are under control with no risk of massive Elbe contamination at this moment,” he added.